Hilditch wants Watson to stay flexible

Shane Watson will not be locked in as a long-term Test opener despite performing solidly in the role during the Ashes, according to Australia's chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch. Watson is the incumbent alongside Simon Katich but Hilditch has declared Phillip Hughes will likely be recalled once back to his best form.

Watson replaced the axed Hughes after two Ashes Tests and finished with three half-centuries from five innings. However, despite averaging 48 in the Test opening role, Watson will not be asked to open the batting for New South Wales ahead of Australia's Test summer.

It is possible that the Blues' Sheffield Shield openers will be Hughes and Phil Jaques, while the current Test openers Watson and Katich could bat down the order. Hilditch believes Watson's best option is to retain his versatility rather than committing to becoming a specialist opener.

"That's how he got on the Ashes [tour]," Hilditch said. "We saw someone who could bat from one to six, which we wanted on the tour.

"I think he'd be well placed to stay pretty flexible. I wouldn't be saying he should open in Shield cricket even. He's shown he can go from a lower-order position to opening the batting in the Ashes without too much trouble."

It is unclear who would make way should Watson be bumped down into a middle-order containing Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Marcus North. However, the selectors are keen to see Hughes back in the Test side after making the tough call to drop him following two disappointing Ashes Tests.

"Phil is a really talented young man," Hilditch said. "It was a terrible call to have to drop him during the Ashes series. Probably in any other series we would've been more supportive of a young player - but we just needed to make a change at that particular moment.

"It was a right decision but for him it was very disappointing. Our view is we still see him as part of our future, and we'll probably look to reintroduce him once he's back to form."

Australia's first Test of the summer begins on November 26, against West Indies at the Gabba. However, due to New South Wales' participation in the Champions League Twenty20, their players will have only two Sheffield Shield matches to prove their form ahead of the first Test.